Work Text:
Alhaitham looked up from his book, eyes narrowing towards the front door where Kaveh had just walked in.
He expected something in response- Kaveh's usual glare with a 'Do I have to explain myself whenever I come home late?'- but there was nothing. Kaveh simply scanned the room before walking into the kitchen.
The nerve! Saying Kaveh had been late was a gross understatement and it was also a slightly warped version of the truth. Kaveh had disappeared a few days ago, no note left behind as to where he had gone. He hadn't come back home either. In any other circumstance, Alhaitham would've immediately asked Cyno or even Tighnari if they'd seen Kaveh, but this time he knew he may have been at fault.
He could barely remember the argument now that a few days had passed. And it wasn't like arguments were uncommon between them. But he vaguely remembered the anger that he allowed to grow past its usual limit.
Maybe he had allowed his frustration to manifest into a huff, one which Kaveh instantly latched onto. Maybe he allowed the anger to slip into his words when he criticized Kaveh for throwing his life and mora away at the tavern.
And perhaps , Kaveh had responded with an equal anger, with words that replayed in Alhaitham's head over and over for the past few days.
"Gods, Haitham! Why are you always so involved in everything I do? Just get out of my life!"
The door had slammed and Alhaitham presumed he went back to Lambad's.
He knew Kaveh didn't mean it, not anymore. Maybe he had, once, a long time ago as a research proposal lay shredded between the two of them. Kaveh had spoken with more venom back then. It was something Kaveh was incredibly guilty of, even if he never said anything. Alhaitham could see it in the apology tea he brewed for the two of them after an argument or how he sometimes fell quiet, watching Alhaitham as if the scribe would stand up and walk away as he did back then.
No, things have changed. No matter how bad the argument had gotten, they always stayed.
So when Kaveh didn't come back home after a few days, guilt started festering in Alhaitham's chest. Guilt was annoying. It didn't go away until the source was dispelled, but the source was missing. Kaveh was avoiding him and hiding somewhere outside of his office in their home, the tavern, and even the Akademiya. He didn't come home to sleep or eat nor did anyone report finding the Light of Kshahrewar sleeping on the streets.
Where could he be? The only other place he could think of was Gandharva Ville, but Alhaitham was still hesitant about bringing others into this just yet. This was his mistake and their argument was between him and Kaveh. If he were to tell Tighnari or Cyno, they would be roped into worrying. But what if Kaveh didn't come back…?
As Alhaitham listened to the sounds of Kaveh cooking dinner in the kitchen, he was glad he hadn't overreacted.
All he wanted to do now was finish his book and go to sleep, but the guilt was still there. Right. He had to talk to Kaveh and apologize.
With a huff, he closed his book and placed it on the table before standing. He walked into the kitchen, momentarily pausing in the doorway as he watched Kaveh flitting around as he cooked. He waited for the usual roll of Kaveh's eyes with a 'Are you just going to stand there? Make yourself useful.' but it never came. He was probably still upset.
"Kaveh," Alhaitham started, hoping the architect could make this easier on him by starting the conversation. No luck. Kaveh didn't even bother looking at him.
Right. He had overstepped and it was now up to him. "Kaveh, I'm sorry."
Kaveh's eyes darted towards him and Alhaitham tensed. It didn't last long as Kaveh turned back to the stove, expression unchanging.
Alhaitham studied him. Wherever he had disappeared to the past few days had not been kind to him. There was a large scratch on one side of his face. A few scrapes and bruises peered from bandages wrapped around his arms. At least it looked like he had been to Bimarstan from wherever he had been to now. There were also dark circles under his eyes, though those weren't uncommon with Kaveh.
"Kaveh," he tried again, exasperated. "You're being uncooperative. I'm trying to apologize to you. Isn't that what you want from me? Why don't you look at me?"
Of course, instead of answering, Kaveh loaded a plate with food and set it on their dining table. Ignoring Alhaitham completely, he began to eat.
Alhaitham could feel a vein in his forehead throb. He knew Kaveh could be petty at times, but this petty? He snapped his mouth shut before he could say something that would ruin the situation more than it already was, and turned on his heel.
"Fine." He meant to keep it emotionless, but there was a hint of anger that he knew Kaveh would pick up on.
Forgetting the book on the table, he retreated into his room and went to sleep.
And just like that, their house fell into their old routine. Not that Alhaitham had deviated from his routine when Kaveh was gone, but now that Kaveh was back it was hard to think he had been gone.
There was only one small difference. Kaveh refused to talk to him. There were times when Alhaitham could hear Kaveh muttering something under his breath as he worked, but as he walked around the house he acted like Alhaitham wasn't even there. He would still do everything as normal- making enough food for two, leaving an hour gap in his morning routine for Alhaitham to have ample time to use the restroom before he left for work, and even leaving notes for Alhaitham around the house.
Alhaitham scowled at one of the notes he had found after he had come home from work.
Going to Gandharva Ville for the weekend. I'll tell Tighnari and Collei you say hi.
It made absolutely no sense. They usually went to Gandharva Ville together whenever Tighnari invited them. Was Kaveh still so upset that he didn't bother inviting Alhaitham along? And why would he lie to Tighnari and Collei when he damn well knew Alhaitham didn't know he was going to meet them?
He crumpled the note and threw it into the trash. Fine. If Kaveh was going to be unreasonable, Alhaitham would stop trying to force Kaveh to talk to him. If all he needed was time, then he could wait.
Kaveh came back home a few days later, ignoring Alhaitham reading on the divan, and things went right back to normal- or their new normal.
Two weeks after Kaveh returned, Alhaitham had had enough.
There was another note- Going to Lambad's - and Alhaitham had decided that two weeks was too far.
It was reminding him of that day, all those years ago. Kaveh had gotten upset after their failed project and had started to ignore Alhaitham. Alhaitham had decided to wait for Kaveh to get over himself and talk to him again. The day did come, but it had taken years. He was not about to do that again.
Alhaitham waited on the divan, a book in hand that he was barely reading. Instead of going to sleep at his normal time, he waited for Kaveh to return home. At two in the morning, Kaveh stumbled in, drunk and tripping over himself.
Maybe confronting Kaveh while he was drunk was not the best idea, but he wasn't going to wait any longer. But also a drunk Kaveh was an honest Kaveh and maybe he needed a bit of alcohol to finally open up a little.
Alhaitham stood, dropping the book on the divan as he walked to Kaveh with large strides. Kaveh wavered, his eyes locked on the hallway leading to their rooms. He looked like he was about to walk away, so Alhaitham reached out to catch his arm.
Then he blinked, the world seeming to slow for a second. When he opened his eyes, Kaveh was already going through his hallway towards his room.
Alhaitham dropped his arm from where it was still reaching out. Something strange had definitely occurred, but he couldn't understand exactly what it was. It was as if… Kaveh had teleported. Or time had stopped for him? Neither of those seemed to be logical, and he felt his eyebrows crease. Was Kaveh that determined not to talk to him? Somehow, he didn't think Kaveh was at fault.
So he went to bed without success.
He tried again the next morning. He stood in the doorway to the bathroom, his arms crossed. There was no way Kaveh could avoid him without walking into his path.
Predictably, after Kaveh was done eating breakfast, he made his way to the bathroom. He didn't even look up at Alhaitham as he approached. Alhaitham remained rooted to the spot.
It was as if the world froze for a moment as he blinked. One second he was standing in the doorway, the next he was standing in front of the closed door to the bathroom.
He slowly turned, staring at the door. He hadn't registered himself moving or Kaveh pushing him away. It had only been a second.
"Kaveh." He knocked on the door. "Kaveh, open the door."
There was only the sound of running water in response.
Frustrated, Alhaitham went back into his room. He could no longer blame Kaveh for what was happening unless this was a very elaborate prank. If this was all for an apology, he was truly going too far. Alhaitham had tried to apologize already.
The only logical conclusion was Kaveh could no longer see Alhaitham. It was slowly starting to piece together. Kaveh ignoring him and not talking back, acting like he wasn't there while simultaneously doing the things he did when Alhaitham was around.
But some things didn't make sense. Alhaitham had been eating the food that Kaveh was cooking and moving things around. Kaveh didn't seem to notice or question either of these. And why was Kaveh leaving notes for him if he wasn't there? Why wasn't Kaveh looking for him?
Questions require experimentation, so that's what he did.
The first was easy to test. As Kaveh continued to get himself ready in the restroom, Alhaitham went into the living room and pulled out all his books from the shelf. He piled them in the middle of the room and sat on the divan in wait.
Kaveh came out of the bathroom in a few minutes, put together and ready for the day. As he stepped into the living room, his head snapped down to look at the pile of books in the middle of the floor. Alhaitham saw an annoyed twitch to his brow, then a confused one before his face went completely blank. His posture went rigid and he walked to the books, slowly bending down and putting them all back on the shelf. Then he stood back in the center of the room, body and face returning to normal. He shook his head slightly as if to clear it, then walked out the door.
Alhaitham was stunned. There was no way that was a part of a prank. And it may have answered his question slightly. Whatever had happened to Kaveh was probably the same thing that was happening to Alhaitham to move him out of Kaveh's way. Whatever it was, it was probably also changing or eliminating memories of events that couldn't be explained, such as the extra food Kaveh was making going missing.
Grumbling, Alhaitham prepared himself to go about his day. But instead of going to the Akademiya for work, he went around Sumeru City looking for where Kaveh had gone.
Kaveh left for work, meaning he was meeting with a client. Kaveh liked to meet with new clients on the streets because it was easier to escape if he ended up not wanting to work with them and he wanted a good excuse. He met with recurring clients at Puspa Cafe.
Since Puspa Cafe was the only sure location, Alhaitham started there. It was fairly crowded for still being morning and Alhaitham squeezed himself between customers as he headed inside. All the tables were taken and he walked around, making sure he checked the entire place thoroughly. No Kaveh.
Grumbling, Alhaitham headed outside and started walking through the streets. He didn't know exactly where Kaveh met clients, so he would have to scour the whole city.
As he walked, he wondered where Kaveh had gone two weeks ago and what had happened to him. Something told him Kaveh had left the city. There was nothing in the area that could've done something like this except for in the Sanctuary of Surasthana, but he didn't think the Dendro Archon would do something so cruel.
Just as he walked into the Grand Bazaar, he saw a hair of bright gold, a beacon within the dimmed lighting of the bazaar. Instinctively, he hid behind a market stall.
As he peered around it to observe Kaveh, he noticed the architect was not meeting with a client, but was having a conversation with Nilou. Both their backs were to him as they looked in the direction of the stage, Kaveh gesturing towards it with wild hand movements while Nilou listened and nodded along. They seemed to reach some sort of conclusion as they turned to face each other and Nilou beamed at him. She eagerly shook his hand, sealing some sort of project between them. Kaveh smiled in return, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Kaveh nodded to her, waved, then headed out.
Alhaitham waited for a moment as Kaveh left, then walked out from his hiding spot. Nilou was still by the stage, looking up at it. She squeaked in surprise as he walked up to her.
"Oh, hello!" she greeted once she regained her composure. "Grand Scribe? Do you have business here?"
He squinted at her. For a moment, he had been worried she wouldn't be able to see him too. "No." He waved a hand. "And call me Alhaitham. I have no interest in formalities."
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Oh, okay!"
He wasn't even sure why he approached her in the first place, but she was the only person who could actively see and interact with both him and Kaveh. "I want to ask you something."
She pressed her lips together and nodded, waiting patiently for his question.
"When you spoke with Kaveh, did he seem… off?"
"Off?" she parroted.
He pressed his lips together, eyes narrowing. "Something not right about him," he clarified.
"Um…" She thought for a moment. "I… suppose. He seems… tired. I hope he's getting enough sleep."
Weird. Since Kaveh was going to sleep at his usual times. Sure, he didn't have a good sleep schedule to begin with, but if he was noticeably more tired it must've gotten really bad.
Alhaitham hummed. "Did he… say… anything strange?"
Nilou shifted again. He narrowed his eyes at her. The answer to his question was 'yes'. So why was she so hesitant?
"He, um." Her eyes shifted to the direction Kaveh had walked down. "He asked me if I saw you around."
"And what did you say?"
"No."
It wasn't strange for the two of them not to see each other. After all, she worked down in the Grand Bazaar and Alhaitham worked up in the Akademiya. He rarely went to the bazaar since Kaveh was the one who went shopping there. Alhaitham didn't like how many people there were in such a dim area; it reminded him of a nightclub.
He hummed in frustration and Nilou's shoulders jumped.
"Um!" She looked at him with a strange expression. "I asked if he checked the Akademiya and he got really quiet. He said something to himself and then started talking about the project. If you're looking for him, maybe he went there?"
"I'm not." He said, turning on his heel. "Thank you."
She mumbled a confused "You're welcome!" as he walked away.
He was not going to the Akademiya, as much as it was probably the most probable place to look. Instead, he changed plans and decided to look for Cyno.
Catching Cyno wandering Sumeru City was all about being in the right place at the right time. The General Mahamatra was incredibly busy and if he wasn't, he was always hiding in some obscure location. He was a man that you didn't simply run into, and many shuddered whenever they saw him around under the assumption that he was working.
Alhaitham, through Kaveh, had gotten to know a different side to Cyno that most didn't see. Cyno was very serious and work-oriented, yes, but he was very thoughtful and self-conscious of how scared others were of him. It wasn't a self-consciousness to the degree of Kaveh, but it wasn't the indifference that Alhaitham had. As Tighnari would sometimes say, "A healthy balance".
Regardless, Alhaitham liked working with Cyno for work-related matters and tolerated being around him during their off-hours.
Now, he wondered what kind of matter he was looking for Cyno for. Alhaitham was not currently working, seeing as he hadn't gone to the Akademiya at all for the day, and the matter regarded Kaveh- their mutual friend. But this wasn't a simple matter. Did he require the help of the General Mahamatra or Cyno?
Alhaitham's eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he rounded the fifth corner. How in Teyvat was he supposed to find Cyno? The only times they met were when they went drinking with Kaveh and Tighnari or for work. Was Cyno working? Alhaitham certainly wasn't going to the Akademiya to ask around.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, catching people around him giving him a wide berth out of the corner of his eye. The sun was going to start setting soon. He couldn't just wander around aimlessly.
An idea formed his head and he spun on his heel, heading back to his home. If he only met Cyno informally through drinks with Kaveh and Tighnari, he would just have to get Kaveh to invite them all to Lambad's together. He had to be quick before Kaveh got home.
Luckily, the house was silent as he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
Without moving any of his own things, he grabbed a paper and one of Kaveh's pens from inside the office. He quickly wrote a note, which he pinned to the corkboard on the kitchen wall. Then he waited for Kaveh to come home, leaning against the kitchen wall.
Kaveh came back about an hour later. Alhaitham could hear a loud sigh along with the front door closing, then a large thump as Kaveh threw himself onto the divan. Slowly, Alhaitham removed himself from the wall and walked into the living room.
Unlike what he was expecting, Kaveh was lying on Alhaitham's divan. He had curled onto his side, holding his knees to his chest. His back was to Alhaitham, hiding his expression. Alhaitham wasn't sure if he was awake or asleep until he heard a stuttered breath. Kaveh's shoulders shook gently and Alhaitham wanted to reach out.
He tried, a hand slowly traveling to one of Kaveh's shoulders. Just as they were about to make contact, Alhaitham blinked and he was standing across the room.
It wasn't fair. All those years ago, Alhaitham had been stupid and naive. Kaveh had asked for space and Alhaitham took him for his word. Even when he had spotted Kaveh sitting alone and dejected somewhere in the Akademiya, Alhaitham hadn't gone to comfort him, thinking Kaveh would reach out when he was ready.
It had taken years until Alhaitham realized space wasn't what Kaveh needed. He had seen the architect drinking at Lambad's and had decided enough was enough. The confrontation hadn't been hostile like he had expected, especially with Kaveh down a few drinks. Alhaitham had clearly laid out his proposition and Kaveh had listened, eyes glued to the liquid of his drink. That night, he had given Kaveh his spare key and they had gone home together.
Since then, Alhaitham decided to study Kaveh's quirks so he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Kaveh never asked for comfort verbally. In fact, he would always tell Alhaitham to leave when he needed his comfort the most.
Alhaitham had instead learned to read his body language. Kaveh bit his lips when nervous. He picked at his fingers when tired or stressed. He tried not to cry when anyone was around, only allowing himself when in his room and when he thought Alhaitham couldn't hear him. Even after years of living together, Kaveh didn't change or open up. Instead, Alhaitham had to be the one to barge into his room and hold Kaveh until the other fell asleep.
And now he could do nothing but watch as Kaveh suffered on his own again, just like all those years ago.
Instead, Alhaitham lay on Kaveh's divan, staring up at the ceiling as he listened to Kaveh's crying. Hundreds of questions raced in his mind. Where had Kaveh gone after speaking with Nilou? Why was he crying? What could Alhaitham do to comfort him if Kaveh couldn't perceive him? What had happened to Kaveh when he went missing all those days ago?
When Kaveh eventually quieted, Alhaitham sat up to look at him. Kaveh also slowly sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the divan. His eyes were red, locked onto the front door to the house. He sniffed as he stood, moving into the kitchen.
Right. Alhaiham quickly got to his feet to follow. Kaveh was starting to cook and it was time to put his plan into motion. Alhaitham didn't know the extent to how much he could interact with Kaveh or his surroundings, but he would have to at least try.
Alhaitham walked to the corkboard. He and Kaveh had bought it so they could leave notes for one another, but it was also useful for posting things that were important for the both of them, such as grocery lists or fliers they thought the other would be interested in. They never took those down, so the corkboard had become a jumble of papers that neither of them wanted to clean anymore. They had stopped leaving notes for each other on it because it would only get lost in the pile of papers and the corkboard remained unused.
He swatted one of the old fliers off of the board, watching it fall to the floor. It caught air as it fell, flying to the other side of the kitchen and landing by Kaveh's feet.
Kaveh looked down at it, frowning. He gently squatted to pick it up, eyes scanning it. Then he approached the corkboard, going to pin it back into place. His eyes jumped to the note in the center of the corkboard, where Alhaitham had strategically placed it so Kaveh would notice.
Slowly, Kaveh pulled the note off.
Alhaitham had kept it as simple and vague as possible so Kaveh wouldn't be able to determine when the note was written while still putting the idea in his head.
Tell me the next time you invite Tighnari and Cyno for drinks.
A chuckle escaped Kaveh's lips as he held the note to his chest. He pocketed it, pinned the flier back on the board, then turned to resume his cooking.
Alhaitham didn't know if it had worked, but only time would tell. At least Kaveh was able to see the note.
It took a few days for the response note to appear on the living room table. Alhaitham saw it when he came home from work.
Going to Lambad's with Cyno and Tighnari tonight. You're invited.
Alhaitham pocketed it. He heard the sounds of shuffling in Kaveh's room, where he was undoubtedly getting ready to leave. Alhaitham went into his room to get ready, though he didn't do much besides replacing his usual cloak with one that covered him better.
He heard Kaveh leaving the front door and quickly left his room to follow. He didn't try to catch up to Kaveh, putting plenty of space between them. Even if Kaveh couldn't see him, he knew Cyno and Tighnari would be able to. He couldn't let them see him just yet.
Knowing Cyno would easily spot him no matter where he hid outside, he waited in Puspa Cafe for a few minutes, watching the door to make sure there was no sudden change of plans. Once he deemed it enough time, he walked to Lambad's.
The three sat at their usual table, Kaveh already slumped forward with a drink in hand. Tighnari was sitting next to him, an arm around Kaveh's shoulders. Cyno sat across them, arms crossed with a frown on his face.
As soon as Alhaitham stepped through the doors, Cyno's eyes jumped to him. Kaveh and Tighnari's backs were to the door. Quickly, Alhaitham shook his head, a finger against his lips. He motioned Cyno to walk over.
Cyno's eyebrows furrowed as he looked between him and Kaveh. Then he quietly nodded before saying something Alhaitham couldn't hear. Kaveh nodded in response to whatever he said, unmoving. One of Tighnari's ears twitched, but he nodded as well.
Alhaitham left the tavern, waiting for Cyno to follow.
"What's your plan?" Cyno asked as soon as he saw him, a scowl on his face. "Hiding from Kaveh?"
Alhaitham sighed, shaking his head. "No. Listen, Cyno. You know I don't play pranks."
Cyno crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "Yes."
"So you will believe me when I tell you that Kaveh cannot see me."
Cyno studied him. "What do you mean?"
So Alhaitham told him everything, starting from when Kaveh had gone missing for a few days. He explained his experiments and Kaveh's inability to perceive him. He talked about his conversation with Nilou. Cyno listened intently, quietly nodding to himself.
"I see," Cyno muttered at the end of the explanation. "Is there a reason you haven't told anyone about this until now?"
Alhaitham pursed his lips. He didn't want to explain it because it wasn't important to Kaveh's situation, but maybe Cyno deserved to know- as their friend. "We… got into an argument before he disappeared. I would've contacted you then if he hadn't returned, but he did. And I thought he was simply avoiding me when it started, but after my experiments, I knew it wasn't the case."
"And you thought you could solve it on your own?"
Alhaitham crossed his arms. "I'm the one at fault and I'm the only one affected. Bringing others into this mess is unnecessary.
"Unnecessary," Cyno repeated in disbelief. "Is that what you think?"
"Yes."
Cyno huffed. "Alright, wait here." He went back into the tavern.
Cyno came back with Tighnari behind him, the fox's ears twitching in slight annoyance. He grew more irritated upon seeing Alhaitham waiting outside.
"What are you doing?" Tighnari hissed. "Were you just going to wait here all night?"
Cyno put an arm on Tighnari's shoulder, turning him slightly away from Alhaitham. Before Tighnari could get angrier, he quickly explained the entire situation.
Tighnari hummed once Cyno was done speaking, deep in thought. Slowly, he nodded. "Sounds like the effect of a ley line."
Alhaitham had thought so too, but he had no idea where to start looking for the source. It was why he had decided to look for Cyno.
"But," Cyno interrupted, crossing his arms. "There's something I want you to see before we investigate this further."
The other two looked at him questioningly.
"Hm?" Tighnari asked.
Cyno's eyes were fixed on Alhaitham. "You said you found bringing others into this unnecessary because you were the only person affected."
"Yes," Alhaitham said, a bit annoyed with having to repeat himself.
"Follow me."
Cyno went back into the tavern. Alhaitham turned to Tighnari for an explanation, but he remained quiet, also following Cyno inside. With a sigh, Alhaitham followed.
The other two had sat back at their table. Cyno watched him with expectant eyes, nodding slightly to the empty seat next to him. Quietly, Alhaitham obeyed his silent command.
Kaveh placed his empty glass back on the table with a sigh. He looked like he had been crying, but he quickly wiped his tears once everyone returned and forced a smile.
"Kaveh," Cyno said, getting straight to the point. "How do you feel about Alhaitham being gone?"
Tighnari squinted at him but didn't say anything.
Kaveh suddenly sat up straight, a scowl on his face despite the tears in his eyes. "I don't care! If he doesn't want to come back home, what do I care? It's his house. He doesn't owe me anything."
Cyno hummed. "And if you don't care about him being there, your routine around the house has changed, no?"
"S-Sure."
"And you have more time to yourself?"
Kaveh finally looked up at him. "What are you getting at?" There was a slight annoyance creeping into his voice.
Cyno shrugged. "If you don't care about Alhaitham, then you should be happier now that you have more time to yourself. You certainly complain about him often."
"I am!" Kaveh announced, though he looked anything but. "I needed a break anyway."
Cyno nodded, seemingly done with the conversation. He subtly eyed Alhaitham, though Alhaitham's eyes were glued to Kaveh.
Kaveh was lying, though that wasn't new for him. But he wasn't just lying about being happy, which Cyno and Tighnari were able to see. He was also lying to them about his change in routine.
Kaveh had continued to act as if Alhaitham was still there, and he still couldn't understand it. Kaveh continued to cook for two, though he forgot about it once Alhaitham had his share. He cleaned Alhaitham's stuff in the living room, left Alhaitham notes, and waited for Alhaitham to do what he needed in the bathroom in the morning. In fact, nothing in Kaveh's life had changed besides the absence of Alhaitham.
"Have you been getting enough sleep, Kaveh?" Tighnari suddenly asked.
"Of course!" Kaveh immediately folded on seeing Tighnari's unimpressed look. "Alright, maybe not."
Tighnari's eyes drifted to Alhaitham. "Doesn't Alhaitham tell you to sleep? Do you need some kind of reminder?"
"He annoys me with it all the time," Kaveh complained, though his tone lacked the usual annoyance. "It's…" Then he stopped talking.
Kaveh was lying again. He had been going into his room earlier than most nights. Alhaitham hadn't heard any noises and had assumed Kaveh was sleeping. But if Tighnari noticed, does that mean he hadn't?
Cyno and Tighnari shared a look over the table before looking at Alhaitham. Alhaitham sat with his arms crossed, a scowl on his face as he studied Kaveh. He tried to think about why Cyno had wanted to show him this.
"I think we should get you home," Tighnari finally said, standing from his chair. "I think you've had enough to drink."
He helped Kaveh stand, the architect not complaining or saying anything. They began walking out of the tavern, but Cyno stayed in place.
"I don't understand the purpose of that," Alhaitham huffed. "You simply made him sadder."
"It's to prove a point. Kaveh's affected by all of this too. And you were simply going to wait until something changed?"
"No. I wasn't going to idle. I was going to solve the problem."
"On your own."
Alhaitham was getting irritated with the two of them repeating the same things over and over. "Yes! I have already said as much. Are you even listening to me?"
Cyno matched his energy. The seriousness that Alhaitham normally liked was starting to get annoying. "And did you hear anything Kaveh said? Are you listening?"
Alhaitham snapped his mouth closed. He had heard what Kaveh said but he knew when people said that, they meant to think deeper about what was said. So he thought back.
Kaveh had lied about everything, which is what Alhaitham had focused on when he first listened. But now, he thought about what Kaveh had actually meant. To get to the truth behind the lies, he would have to connect the statements.
Kaveh didn't care that Alhaitham was supposedly missing. This one was easy to find the truth. He did care, just didn't want to burden others with the knowledge.
Kaveh was happy. Another easy one.
Kaveh was now free to change his routine to how he saw fit now that he didn't have to work around another person. Kaveh didn't, but why? The answer eluded him.
Kaveh needed a break. Alhaitham wasn't sure if this was a lie or not. Kaveh had gone off on his own for a few days. Did his return mean he didn't need a break anymore?
Kaveh didn't bother lying about his lack of sleep, not with Tighnari there. Alhaitham knew he was going to bed early, but he still wasn't getting enough sleep. He wasn't working, which Alhaitham would hear because he often made a lot of noise. That meant Kaveh was retiring early and simply laying in bed, probably for hours, until he eventually succumbed to his own exhaustion.
Alhaitham thought back to a few days prior, when Kaveh had curled up on his divan on his side and cried. Was that not a one-time occurrence?
The pieces started to connect. There had been an atmosphere of grief around the house, but he had thought it was only him. He hadn't realized Kaveh was just as, if not more, affected than he had been about whatever affliction had befallen him. Alhaitham remembered reading about the stages of grief. Was Kaveh continuing to do his routine just a form of denial? The hope that things could go back to normal?
Alhaitham sighed, putting his head in his hands as he leaned forward on the table. When he looked up at Cyno, he saw pity in the general's eyes.
"I don't think either of you can live like this for much longer," Cyno said, voice softer than before. "And Tighnari and I can't watch you two in this state either. You should've told us something the moment you noticed something wrong." Cyno stood. "Come on, let's go to your house."
Alhaitham begrudgingly stood, eyes momentarily lingering on Kaveh's seat. Had he really been that oblivious to Kaveh's suffering? He thought he had changed since his Akademiya days, but that wasn't the case at all.
Tighnari was leaving the house just as they arrived. He had a frown on his face and sighed as they approached the door.
"He's asleep." Tighnari's ears twitched. "I gave him some tea to soothe him and it seemed to do the job. I'll go back to Gandharva Ville to make a medication to help with his insomnia. That way, he will at least be physically fine."
"Have you checked for the ley line effect?" Alhaitham asked.
Tighnari hummed. "Yes. I could not find any physical anomalies, but many ley lines do not have a physical effect. Seeing that we know what the effect is, this is not something we have to worry about."
"So we have to know where he went," Cyno hummed.
"Yes." Tighnari nodded. "The best way to fix the situation is to study the ley line directly. But!" He raised a finger just when the other two were about to speak. "We're going to talk about this more after I'm back. We need to be adequately prepared."
"I'll try to track where Kaveh went, then." Cyno nodded.
"It's fine as long as no one goes into the ley line. Try not to do anything rash."
"Alright." Cyno turned to Alhaitham. "I suggest you stay home and keep an eye on Kaveh."
Alhaitham was about to ask what the point of it was if he couldn't interact with Kaveh if something were to happen, but he didn't say anything as he remembered how idiotic he had been. Maybe he would spend the time observing Kaveh and actually trying to understand him.
Slowly, he nodded. Cyno quietly patted him on the back before the other two left. Exhausted from the day, Alhaitham went into his room and immediately fell asleep.
The next morning, Alhaitham awoke to a loud thump in the living room. Alarmed, he threw himself out of bed. Were things already going wrong?
Kaveh was sitting on the floor, holding his leg in pain. He was glaring at Alhaitham's divan as if it had just come to life and attacked him. "Really." He huffed, rubbing his shin as he stood. "Can't anything just stay still?"
Alhaitham froze in the doorway. Okay, just normal Kaveh behavior after a night of drinking. But the words gave him pause. Though Alhaitham had been home the entire time, to Kaveh it seemed as if he had simply gotten up and left. Alhaitham remembered the few days where Kaveh had been missing. He remembered the loneliness, the worry. Had Kaveh been feeling the same way this entire time?
Kaveh managed to throw himself onto the divan successfully this time, landing on his stomach. He curled his knees to his chest, groaning with a hand against his temple.
Usually, Alhaitham would place a glass of water on the table whenever Kaveh was in this state. He'd also cut some fruit for him if it was particularly bad.
Alhaitham found himself moving to the kitchen before he stopped. He couldn't do that now, could he?
He continued into the kitchen. No. He couldn't give up. He'd at least try.
Grabbing some fruit from the fruit bowl, Alhaitham went into the kitchen to cut them into pieces. He poured a glass of water, putting it next to the bowl on the counter. Debating going to work and ultimately deciding against it, Alhaitham sat on Kaveh's divan and waited.
Eventually, Kaveh pulled himself up and dragged himself to the kitchen. Alhaitham followed.
He nearly collided with Kaveh but managed to catch himself on the doorway. Kaveh was still, eyes wide as he looked at the glass of water and bowl of fruits. Slowly, he walked over and reached out, as if he thought it was an illusion. He picked up a piece of fruit, popping it into his mouth.
Alhaitham watched in shock as tears started to flow down Kaveh's cheeks. What was he thinking? What was the ley line making him believe to be the reason those fruits were there?
Grabbing the bowl and glass, Kaveh sank to the floor. He placed the glass on the floor and the bowl in his lap as he ate through the rest of the fruit. Alhaitham sat next to him, a shoulder distance away.
Even after he was done eating, Kaveh remained sitting on the floor. He hugged his knees to his chest. "Haitham," he sobbed into his knees. "Where did you go?"
I'm right here. Alhaitham wanted to say. Open your eyes. Just look at me.
But of course, the world wasn't a storybook and nothing changed. Kaveh remained on the floor for hours until there was a knock at the door. Even then, he waited, eyes on the floor.
Instead, Alhaitham stood to get the door.
Tighnari squinted at him. "You know he's the one who's supposed to get the door," he whispered.
"Just say you let yourself in," Alhaitham sighed. He was already so tired and he wanted nothing more than to sleep. Half a day had already passed and all he could do was listen to Kaveh sob on the floor of the kitchen, sitting on the uncomfortable floor with an equally uncomfortable counter on his back.
Tighnari must've seen the exhaustion because he let himself in without another word. He went into the kitchen after Alhaitham, kneeling next to Kaveh when he saw his state.
"How are you doing?" Tighnari asked, eyeing the empty dishes on the floor. "Have you eaten anything?"
Kaveh looked up at him, tears still flowing. He rubbed at his face. "Alhaitham was here."
"What?" Tighnari whipped his head to look at Alhaitham. Alhaitham shook his head, not having an answer. "What do you mean?"
Kaveh pointed to the bowl. "He cuts fruits for me whenever I'm hungover. He- I didn't do that."
Tighnari nodded. "Okay… We can tell Cyno about it once he gets here. I think you should eat more, though. Were the fruits the only thing you've eaten?"
"Tighnari," Kaveh cut in. "He was here . He knew I went drinking. He must've seen the note that I left. He- He left again . Why…? Why didn't he say anything to me? He didn't even leave a note."
Alhaitham left the room with a huff. He was making everything worse. And what was he thinking? Even if Kaveh saw the fruits, the two of them still wouldn't be able to interact. Now Kaveh thought he betrayed him again .
He was being illogical, all for the sake of normalcy. But the truth was he wasn't being completely illogical either. He needed to care for a hungover Kaveh and that was the only way he knew how. That was the frustrating part of all this:
Caring for Kaveh was an unpredictable task because he was an overthinker. Sometimes Alhaitham did something that anyone else would obviously see as something done as an act of care, but Kaveh would find a way to twist it. Routines helped both of them find a comfortable middle ground between them. But everything about the situation now was far from routine.
There was another knock on the door and Alhaitham debated going to get it, Tighnari's words on his mind. Thankfully, Tighnari came in to solve the dilemma, shooting Alhaitham a look before getting the door.
Cyno walked in, nodding to Tighnari in greeting before his eyes flicked to Alhaitham.
"How is he?"
Tighnari hummed. "It looks as if Alhaitham has been here this morning."
Cyno's eyebrows shot up. "Oh."
"Come."
The two of them walked into the kitchen. Alhaitham made no move to follow.
The three of them emerged after some time, Tighnari coaxing Kaveh to sit on the divan.
"We have an idea," Tighnari started, arms crossed as he stood, eyes bouncing between Kaveh and Alhaitham.
They both silently nodded, though Kaveh looked a bit confused.
So Tighnari piped up to try to clear some of it. "We think something might've happened. The circumstances here are highly unusual."
Kaveh's eyes widened. "Wait, you think something happened to Alhaitham?"
The switch from sorrow to worry was instant, as if a switch had been flipped. Alhaitham stared at Kaveh.
"Possibly," Tighnari said carefully, not wanting to panic Kaveh. "We can't rule it out."
"We were thinking of investigating the forests to see where-"
"I'll come with you," Kaveh cut in.
Alhaitham had to admit that Kaveh's stubbornness that always made him intervene in other people's business was really useful now. It seemed Tighnari and Cyno had concocted a plan between the night before and now.
"I don't know," Tighnari muttered, putting on a convincing enough act to get Kaveh agitated.
"Please, Tighnari." Kaveh looked tired, yet his eyes shone with a newfound determination. "You know Alhaitham. He can handle anything on his own. If he's in trouble, then it has to be something bad. I-I can't sit here and wait any longer."
Alhaitham knew it was guilt speaking for him. He'd become no stranger to the guilt Kaveh carried with him and buried. But he couldn't help but grin at such blatant praise from Kaveh. This was a special occasion and he didn't know if he would ever hear it again.
Tighnari and Cyno looked at each other before Cyno hummed.
"If we get into a fight-"
"It's fine!" Kaveh jumped to his feet, running to gather Mehrak. "She'll protect me! And you two can too, right? It-It's going to be fine."
Tighnari frowned. "If you're worried that whatever happened to Alhaitham is so powerful that someone like him can't handle it, why would you go?"
Kaveh hesitated for a moment before he shook his head. "Because he probably went out and did something stupid because of me. And- And besides, we're not going to go alone."
Cyno's eyebrows shot up as Tighnari put a hand on Kaveh's shoulder to sit him back on the divan.
"What do you mean, Kaveh?" Tighnari asked.
Kaveh's eyes went wide for a moment before he hung his head and sighed. "I- We got in another argument a few days before he went missing. And I got really upset and left."
"Left?" Cyno parroted.
"I just needed space!" Kaveh threw up his hands, tears starting to form in his eyes. "Or, I thought I did. I don't… know. I was going to go back the next day but I accidentally fell in a cave and got lost. I wasn't sure how long it was."
He fell silent, head hung in shame. Alhaitham stood, though he couldn't do anything about the situation. Cyno and Tighnari watched the movement carefully.
Kaveh remained staring at the floor. "Did he try to follow me? Did something happen to him?"
"Did something happen to you ?" Cyno asked, eyes narrowed.
Kaveh shook his head. "I don't- I can't remember."
"Do you remember where it is?" Cyno asked.
"I-I think so."
Cyno nodded with finality. "Then let's go."
Without waiting for the others to respond, Cyno turned and walked out the front door. Everyone else stared after him in varying levels of shock.
Tighnari sighed. "Well, can't interrupt him in work mode." He turned to Kaveh. "You can come with us, just stay behind us. Or with me."
Kaveh held Mehrak's handle tightly as he nodded. "Alright."
The three of them followed after Cyno, Alhaitham taking the rear. For what felt like the tenth time, he thought about how stupid he had been. Everything could've been solved so much quicker with the help of others, especially when those others could actually talk to Kaveh.
Cyno waited for them by the edge of the city, waiting for directions from Kaveh. They walked in what Alhaitham had assumed was an aimless pattern until Kaveh gained his bearings. They continued south of Sumeru City, which led them up a mountain.
The three who were used to adventuring were able to climb it with ease, but Alhaitham noticed Kaveh falling behind.
"Wait," he called out to the other two, who stopped and turned.
Kaveh was hoisting himself up a stony ledge, arms shaking from the effort. They were near the top, but this mountain was steep.
Tighnari, noticing him, immediately rushed to help Kaveh up. Once Kaveh was on his feet, Tighnari handed him a bottle of water.
"Thanks," Kaveh panted, wiping his sweat with an arm.
"You came up here?" Cyno asked, an eyebrow raised.
Kaveh huffed. "It was night, so it wasn't that hot. I was also angry."
"Alright, well don't push yourself," Tighnari cautioned.
The rest of the journey to the peak was slower and Kaveh looked exhausted once they reached the top. He fell onto his knees with a hand on his chest, breathing heavily.
Tighnari observed the area, ears twitching rapidly. Cyno also looked around with narrowed eyes. Though Alhaitham would've normally done the same, he instead sat next to Kaveh on the grass, making sure Kaveh was going to be alright.
They left once Kaveh was ready, though Tighnari had already spotted the cave where Kaveh had fallen down. They all peered over the edge. They couldn't see the bottom, though it was because everything was covered in grass and vines.
"Do you remember where you came out of?" Cyno asked.
Kaveh mumbled to himself, looking around. "I think…" He rubbed his forehead. "Um… It was by a river. The entrance was covered though, so I don't know where it was."
Tighnari nodded. "Alright, I think I can find it."
They descended the mountain, which was easier to do. On the other side of the mountain was a river, and Tighnari led them as they walked along the riverbank. It was cooler and flatter, making the journey quicker. Even so, it started to get dark and Tighnari stopped them.
"Let's set up camp for tonight."
They found some raised land and set up a campfire and tent. It was then that Alhaitham realized the predicament. With one of them on watch, the three others would be in the tent. The tent was big enough for two, so Kaveh wouldn't find anything wrong, but it was slightly too small for three grown adults.
"Tighnari," Alhaitham said as Tighnari built a fire.
Tighnari didn't speak, but one of his ears turned to him.
Assuming that he was paying attention, Alhaitham continued. "The tent is too small."
Tighnari frowned, then whispered under his breath. "It's only one night. Deal with it."
"Easy for you to say. If Kaveh and I make contact in there, one of us will be rudely awakened. And from how things have been, it will be me."
Tighnari straightened from where he had been over the campfire, looking between him and the tent. "As long as Cyno and I sleep between you two, it's going to be fine. Are you that worried about it?"
"I'm not worried." Alhaitham crossed his arms, stepping away as Kaveh and Cyno walked up to their camp with arms full of berries and plants.
"Great!" Tighnari gestured for them to place their finds on a leaf pile. "Dinner will be ready soon and then we can go to sleep."
Thankfully, as soon as he had eaten, Kaveh went to bed. Alhaitham had waited for him to leave so he could eat. The three of them ate quietly over the fire, the other two's eyes on Alhaitham.
"It's weird," Tighnari muttered.
Cyno sighed. "Yeah."
He knew they weren't addressing him directly in case Kaveh was somehow listening and that he didn't have to take the same precautions, but he didn't say anything. He was mentally tired and being around Kaveh so much was draining. He just wanted all this to be over with already, though the fact that they didn't actually have a solution to fix the problem was in the back of his mind. Even if they found the ley line, then what?
Alhaitham retired for the knight. Tighnari and Cyno watched him leave with pity in their eyes. It was another thing Alhaitham was tired of.
Kaveh was curled on his side at the very edge of the tent. Alhaitham lay down on the other side, back to Kaveh. He was asleep, Alhaitham could hear, but he was also having a dream.
Kaveh sometimes spoke in his sleep, though it was often when he was having a nightmare. He was having one now, curled tightly in one himself and muttering Alhaitham's name.
"Please, Haitham. Don't leave. Please, I'm sorry."
Alhaitham wanted to cover his ears, maybe put on his noise-canceling headphones. But this was his mess, he had told Cyno that much. Even if there were others involved now, this was his fault. So he tried to sleep despite how much it hurt to hear Kaveh's mutterings. He desperately wished to comfort him, but he knew he couldn't.
Eventually, he fell asleep.
He dreamt of the past. He dreamt of the Akademiya days when he and Kaveh were friends. When Kaveh wasn't ashamed to be around him and dote on him for being his "adorable junior". A time when both of them were naive and thought everything would be all alright.
And then that project and their argument. Alhaitham stood to the side and watched younger him and Kaveh fight. He desperately wanted to shake himself by the shoulders and yell at him to go after Kaveh.
You'll regret this decision for the rest of your life. He wanted to say. It's not space or time he needs, it's you.
He woke with a gasp as a hand shook him awake.
"Haitham!"
And for a moment, he let himself believe everything was over. Then he opened his eyes and saw Cyno's worried eyes looking down at him.
"Your shift."
Alhaitham sat up, quietly wiping the tears from his eyes. He looked over to his side, where Tighnari and Kaveh were still asleep.
"Should I even take watch?" Alhaitham asked, thankful that Cyno didn't bring up anything. "What if he wakes up while the two of you are asleep?"
"He won't," Cyno reassured. "Tighnari told me that he woke up at one point and stayed up for a few hours. Tighnari gave him a stronger medication to keep him asleep until the morning. He's not waking up on his own."
Alhaitham nodded, getting out of the tent. Cyno gave him a reassuring pat on the back before taking his spot. Alhaitham sat on a rock just outside of the tent. It was probably a few hours until dawn.
Nothing was happening, so Alhaitham thought back to his dream. It wasn't often that he dreamed, let alone had a nightmare. He didn't like them. They were nonsensical and usually lacked logic. Dreams of the past were even worse. Alhaitham didn't dwell on the past nor was seeing those memories going to change anything now. It just brought unnecessary pain.
It was this pain that Kaveh was always dealing with, though he took it upon himself to deal with it even if it was entirely pointless. He saw it in the ways he would go quiet after an argument, keeping his head down while undoubtedly thinking of the past. It was in how Kaveh still kept him at arm's length despite the two of them living together for years.
After everything was over, the two of them would have to change. And even if Kaveh didn't, Alhaitham would. He couldn't keep making the same mistakes again, not when each one had a price too large for what it was worth. He couldn't let Kaveh go again, because next time he might never come back.
He startled when a hand landed on his shoulder, jolting him out of his thoughts. He whirled around to face Tighnari, who stifled a yawn.
"How did you sleep?" Tighnari asked.
Alhaitham just hummed in response, pressing his lips together in a line.
Tighnari nodded. "I don't think Kaveh slept very well either. Once all this is over you two need a mandatory vacation."
"I don't do vacations."
"Just the two of you." Tighnari shrugged.
And okay, maybe he couldn't disagree with that.
Once everyone was awake and their camp was packed up, they continued walking down the river.
"Ugh," Kaveh complained as he pulled his shoe out of the mud. "Isn't there another way to find the cave other than walking around? I'm getting mud all over myself."
No one said anything, simply watching Kaveh in worry. It didn't look like he had gotten any sleep at all, even though everyone was there to witness it. His sleep was undoubtedly restless. He kept stumbling over himself as he walked with heavy bags under his eyes. Even as he spoke, it lacked its usual heat.
It was hard to watch. Alhaitham didn't want to be there anymore. He felt like he was watching a wounded animal on the verge of death, still clinging to life. There was a pang in his chest that had burrowed itself there and refused to leave.
"Do you want to take a break?" Tighnari eventually offered after a few hours.
"No!" Kaveh exclaimed, offended. "I've already waited too long. We have to keep going! What if Alhaitham's down there?"
Eventually, Tighnari found the opening to the cave. He led them through the tunnel, where Cyno spotted a trail of blood. The blood trail was hard to find because it was merely spots of blood, but it didn't look like any animals were going through the cave to disrupt it.
Alhaitham looked at Kaveh, who was itching one of his arms. He scratched furiously, eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he watched the blood trail. Alhaitham wanted to reach out to stop him, but his hand stopped as he realized he couldn't. The pang in his chest grew.
He opened his mouth to tell Tighnari what was happening, but his throat constricted on the words, eyes stuck to where Kaveh continued to itch.
The tunnel became a twisted maze, diverging paths going around in circles and descending or ascending at random. The blood path continued without reason and they eventually lost track of it
As they walked, Alhaitham felt a pull in a certain direction. It changed every fork in the road and they always went a different way. Alhaitham began to slow, falling behind the party as they continued.
Something was wrong, he knew, but his mind was occupied with thoughts of Kaveh. He could only think of Kaveh on his own, in a house that only he believed to be empty, living in what he presumed to be isolation. He thought of Kaveh lying on Alhaitham's divan, scratching his arms until they bled. Kaveh didn't care about the blood, digging his nails into his flesh as he cursed Alhaitham's name for being so cruel as to betray him again.
Alhaitham didn't have the strength to do this anymore; Cyno had been right. The two of them had reached their limit and now Alhaitham could do nothing as he watched Kaveh destroy himself.
There was a sudden hand on his shoulder that made him jump. He snapped out of his thoughts, turning to look at Cyno in shock. Cyno was looking at him curiously and he didn't know why until he felt the tears that were flowing down his face. He quickly wiped at them, but more quickly replaced them.
He looked up to see Tighnari and Kaveh further down the tunnel they were in, Kaveh's back to them. Tighnari was carefully bandaging one of Kaveh's arms, which even from this distance Alhaitham could see had started to bleed.
"Something's happened," Cyno muttered, low enough that Kaveh couldn't hear. "We must be getting close."
Powering through his tears, Alhaitham spoke. "I feel something calling to me."
"Do you think it's the ley line?" Cyno asked, watching him with worry.
Alhaitham nodded. Cyno released his shoulder and walked to the other two with Alhaitham following behind. Tighnari looked up at Alhaitham in shock before Cyno spoke.
"I think the ley line is close. Kaveh, do you feel something calling to you?"
Slowly, Kaveh nodded. "I bet Alhaitham's there. He found it and got stuck and made me worry about him." It was said with an anger that was so unlike his usual self.
Tighnari and Cyno exchanged worried glances at one another until Tighnari lightly grasped Kaveh's arm. "Okay. Do you think you can guide us?"
Kaveh's bandaged arm reached to scratch at his other arm and Tighnari tightly held his wrist to prevent it. "Kaveh."
"What!?" Kaveh tried to wrench his grasp free, but Tighnari's grist was stronger. "What do you want from me!? I didn't ask for your pity!"
The tears flowed harder as Alhaitham watched, knowing Kaveh was feeling this way because of him.
"Shh," Tighnari tried to soothe, though it didn't do much. "I know, alright. I'm sorry. Let's get to the ley line and save Alhaitham."
"Because he's a bastard who goes missing and now needs us to save him!" Kaveh exclaimed, though this time he didn't put up a fight.
Kaveh started leading them, going exactly where Alhaitham was also feeling the call from. So it was the ley line. Hopefully, they could end everything when they got there so that he didn't have to deal with all this anymore. He was getting exhausted.
Cyno and Alhaitham kept their distance so Cyno could ask him questions without Kaveh overhearing. Cyno continued to ask if they were going where Alhaitham thought they should go. Overrun with tears, Alhaitham was only able to respond with quiet nods.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt like this. The closest he could remember was when his grandmother had died, but even then he only ever cried in the comforts of his room.
"Why can't Tighanri or I feel it?" Cyno mumbled under his breath, his question asked more to himself than Alhiatham since the other couldn't respond.
It was puzzling enough that Alhaitham was able to think about it for a brief moment. Why him and Kaveh? Kaveh made sense because he'd been here before, but Alhaitham hadn't.
Kaveh thought he did, was that it? Was Kaveh's desire for Alhaitham to be there inadvertently making the ley line call out to him too? It didn't make sense, but it was something Alhaitham let himself believe. Whatever Kaveh was saying now was all lies. He wasn't angry at Alhaitham, he was just confused and scared.
Their footsteps began to echo loudly and Alhaitham looked up. The cave had taken them to a large, unusually circular room. The ground was perfectly flat, a singular large flower growing in the middle of it. The flower was closed, waiting for something to happen so it could open.
Kaveh pitched forward and Tighnari was able to hold him back just in time. Tighnari pushed the two of them to kneel, Kaveh struggling against his hold.
"Cyno!" Tighnari called, voice strained.
Cyno had his spear in hand, but he was looking between them and the closed flower, unsure of what to do. "Tighnari, I-"
"That flower is the source of the ley line. Destroy it-"
All other words faded as Alhaitham heard something speaking in his ear.
You who are sorrowful. Tell me, what do you wish for the world?
Alhaitham thought to Kaveh, crying alone on the kitchen floor. He thought about trying to comfort Kaveh with a hand on his shoulder but being unable to do so.
He wanted that again. He wanted Kaveh to see him. He didn't want Kaveh to suffer alone anymore.
Tell me, what are you willing to give?
Everything. As long as he could correct his mistakes.
He could see the flower bloom, its vibrant blue petals seemingly glowing in the darkness of the cave. As the petals parted, a purple mist spilled out, blanketing the ground.
Come. Give me your sorrow so I may grant you your desires.
Alhaitham didn't register his feet as he moved. He could only focus on the flower, its brilliant petals, and the mist as it climbed up his legs.
"Alhaitham?"
At once, everything seemed to freeze. A voice cut through his thoughts. Broken, scared, alone. He had missed it so much.
Slowly, he blinked. Reality started to become known as he shook his head.
Cyno, in front of him, guarding the closed flower that was behind him. He had a tight hold on Alhaitham's hand that had been reaching towards the flower. Behind him, Kaveh and Tighnari in the same position as before. But Kaveh was crying, looking at Cyno. Everyone was quiet until Kaveh spoke again.
"Where!?" And his voice was getting angrier again with the lack of response. "Where, Cyno? Where is he!?"
Cyno was focused on Alhaitham. "You with us?"
Alhaitham took a shaky step back. Cyno let his hand go. "What-?"
"You nearly touched the plant."
He didn't turn back to it, scared it would try to take over his mind again. Instead, he looked at Kaveh, who was starting to struggle against Tighnari's hold with more fervor.
"Tell him," Alhaitham said, wiping the tears that were still flowing down his face. "Tell him I'm right here."
Cyno nodded, turning to Kaveh. Upon making eye contact, Kaveh froze.
"He's here." Cyno took Alhaitham's wrist, holding it up.
Kaveh shook his head. "No- He's not- You're lying!"
Cyno dropped his arm. "You haven't been able to see him."
"I-" Kaveh looked to Tighnari for confirmation. Tighnari nodded. Kaveh's eyes moved to Cyno's side, right where Alhaitham was standing. His gaze traveled upwards, where he guessed Alhaitham's eyes would be if he were really there.
They made eye contact, though Kaveh wasn't aware. Alhaitham choked back a sob.
Then the voice was there again.
Sorrow makes you weak. Your pain is a vice. Give it to me and you shall be pure.
Alhaitham pulled out his sword, making Cyno jump back and take his spear in hand.
"Cyno," Alhaitham said, perception bordering on reality and illusion.
He must've understood, because Cyno turned to the flower. "Got it." He surged forward with a rush of electro energy, his spear cut through the bud. But it was stronger than it looked and held firm.
Alhaitham stood in front of it, guiding dendro energy into his palms. He was afraid of touching the plant, so he coated his blade in it, taking a step before plunging it straight down into the flower.
The two elements mixed together and the flower burst, pieces of petals and stem flying everywhere. There was no mist, however, as everything gradually settled.
The tears in his eyes dried and Alhaitham collapsed onto his knees. He looked up at Cyno, intending to ask him a question, when another cry of his name echoed around the cave.
His head whipped to Kaveh, who had a hand reaching out to him.
Slowly, he got to his feet and walked over to where Kaveh and Tighnari were on the floor. Tighnari no longer held onto Kaveh, stepping back and letting Alhaitham take his place.
"Haitham?" Kaveh asked, hand hovering as if he didn't believe this was real.
Carefully, Alhaitham took Kaveh's hand in his own. Both their eyes widened at the contact, Kaveh bursting into tears.
Alhaitham wrapped his other arm around Kaveh's shoulders, pulling him into a hug. "Shh," he soothed. "It's alright. I'm here."
"You're here," Kaveh echoed through hiccups. "Where have you been?"
"I've always been here." Alhaitham squeezed him tighter. "Right by your side."
They remained locked in their embrace until Kaveh fell asleep in his arms. Alhaitham didn't bother explaining what had happened, planning to do so once Kaveh was in a better state. Instead, he kept whispering reassurances.
He stood with Kaveh in his arms. Tighnari and Cyno watched from a distance, relief flooding their faces.
"Let's go back," Alhaitham said, voice hoarse.
With the combined efforts of Tighnari and Cyno, finding their way back to the cave entrance was a simple ordeal. It was around midday and Tighnari tried to work out where they could camp for the day, but Alhaitham interrupted his mutterings.
"I want to take him home today."
Tighnari's ears perked up and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, but he nodded. "I believe we can make it if we hurry. We'll go around the mountain."
Even as night fell, they continued. Alhaitham was more than exhausted, especially carrying Kaveh. But he refused Cyno's offer to carry Kaveh, even as his knees buckled beneath him. He wouldn't let go of Kaveh, no matter what happened. The other two kept quiet, probably understanding his reasoning.
Tighnari had to open the front door to their house when they finally arrived. Without a word, Alhiatham took Kaveh into his room and deposited him on the bed. Even as he stumbled back, black spots dancing in his vision, he couldn't find himself to let go of Kaveh's hand. So Alhaitham moved him over and climbed into bed with him, falling asleep the instant his head hit the pillow.
He woke to the sound of crying. His heart leapt into his throat, fearing everything had been a dream and nothing had changed.
But Kaveh was lying nearly on top of him, face buried in Alhaitham's chest as he cried.
Relief flooded him as he ran a hand through Kaveh's hair. "Kaveh."
Kaveh looked up, eyes red. He looked like a mess, but he supposed he did too. "Gods, Haitham," Kaveh breathed. "I missed you so much. Don't ever do that again."
Eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, Alhaitham explained the entire situation from the moment of their argument to when they had destroyed the ley line.
"So I did nothing wrong," he huffed, then realized he was missing the point again . "But I wanted to apologize."
Lost between guilt and confusion, Kaveh's expression eventually landed on teasing. "What are you apologizing for if it wasn't your fault?"
"Not seeing me was your fault," Alhaitham explained. "But it was my fault for letting you go."
Kaveh's eyebrows furrowed. "I- Were you really here the whole time?"
Alhaitham nodded. "I never left."
"Never?"
He knew what Kaveh was asking as his expression shifted. He looked away, a frown tugging at his lips.
Alhaitham combatted the thought. "I knew you would come back."
"But what if I didn't?"
"Then I would have gone looking."
Kaveh remained silent. Alhaitham sat up in the bed, throwing his legs off the side. He meant to get up, to get something to eat, but Kaveh caught his arm and kept him there.
There was a fear that both of them shared in Kaveh's eyes. He could almost hear the words that Kaveh never says: "Stay with me. Don't leave."
Kaveh let go of his hand.
With a frown, Alhaitham grabbed Kaveh by the wrist, stood, then dragged Kaveh up to his feet. Kaveh tumbled off the edge of the bed with a cry, eyes glued to where Alhaitham was clutching onto his hand as if it were a lifeline.
"We're getting food," Alhaitham said, the only warning Kaveh had before he was being dragged into the kitchen.
With a stumble and a correction by Alhaitham, Kaveh was successfully dragged and they both made it to the kitchen. Kaveh moved as if to drop his hand to heat up leftovers, but Alhaitham kept his grip firm.
"Haitham," Kaveh huffed. "What's wrong with you?"
"Kaveh," Alhaitham huffed, matching the frustration yet not quite reaching the same tone. "I know this is what you want, even if you're too afraid to use your words. Are you that adamant on pushing me away?"
Kaveh's eyes widened, then narrowed. "What are you talking about?" He tried to wrestle his arm away. "I don't want this. I've never asked for it! Haitham, let go!"
Alhaitham shook his head. "No. Is this how you intend to live your life? Keep pushing people away because you're afraid to ask for comfort? Push me away? I'm letting you speak your mind now, why don't you?"
Why couldn't Kaveh see? He was laying down everything so blatantly and yet he still wasn't speaking. Was he just being dense and didn't know what he wanted?
He didn't realize his grasp was tightening until Kaveh cried out. "Haitham stop! You're hurting me!"
Alhaitham dropped his arm immediately, watching in shock at the red marks around Kaveh's wrist. Before he could say or do anything, Kaveh ducked out of the kitchen. Alhaitham only jolted to act once he heard the door to Kaveh's room close.
He slowly knocked on the door. "Kaveh." No response. "Kaveh, I'm sorry."
It felt like the first few days when Kaveh had ignored his knocking because he couldn't hear them. Alhaitham stood by the door, arm poised to knock again, horrified they were going in the wrong direction.
His arm dropped. Had he simply read Kaveh wrong? Maybe all Kaveh needed was space, just like he always said. Maybe he didn't need Alhaitham at all.
Slowly, Alhaitham backed away and retreated into his room.
It was too early to sleep and he didn't have the energy to read. He didn't want to leave his room to get food, so he simply lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as if it would give him all the answers to his questions. After a while, he heard Kaveh leave his room to get food, but there was no knock on the door and Alhaitham didn't get up.
Even as night fell, Alhaitham couldn't sleep. His mind was a mixture of events that he was sure he had once understood. When Kaveh ripped the thesis, had he simply just been angry at Alhaitham and nothing else? Had those years in between just been so Kaveh could settle his anger? Was Alhaitham reading too much into every action? Was he hoping he meant more to Kaveh than he actually did?
He didn't know what time it was when he finally left his room to get a glass of water. It was long since dark and Kaveh had stopped making noise for hours.
When he got into the kitchen, he froze. On the counter was a plate of food and a cup of tea, both cold from being left out for hours. Though there was no note, Alhaitham knew who those were meant for.
Quietly, he reheated the food as he sipped the room-temperature tea, sitting at the dining table. It tasted familiar. It tasted like warmth. He didn't know what to think anymore.
He was too busy in his head to realize he wasn't alone. His plate was set in front of him and his eyes jumped up to meet Kaveh's.
"Hey," Kaveh said, voice quiet.
Alhaitham didn't respond, waiting for the other to speak.
Kaveh sighed. "I'm sorry."
He expected as much from the tea. "I know."
"About-" Kaveh shifted one of the chairs so it was next to the one Alhaitham was on. He settled in the chair, taking one of Alhaitham's hands. He had to use his other hand to eat, but he didn't mind. "About everything, Haitham. You were right."
Alhaitham bit his tongue so he didn't say anything that would upset him. He wasn't sure which words he was allowed and which would send Kaveh away again so he kept his mouth closed, simply humming in acknowledgment as he continued to silently eat.
"I just- I don't know what to do. I don't want to repeat the- during the Akademyia- you know…"
His eyes narrowed as he looked at Alhaitham, opening his mouth probably to complain, but he snapped his mouth shut as realization dawned on him. "It's… alright. You can speak your mind. I promise I won't get mad at you."
Alhaitham nodded, though his lips remained tight.
Kaveh sighed, intertwining their fingers. "You were right, I'm sorry," he repeated. "I- You-" He took a breath. "I don't want you to go."
Finally, Alhaitham huffed. "I wasn't making any plans."
"Yeah, well." Kaveh was a flustered mess, but he didn't drop their hands. "I mean, I knew that but-"
"Did you?"
Kaveh's mouth snapped closed.
Alhaitham raised an eyebrow, looking him dead in the eye. "Did you? Or have you been living under the assumption that I would leave you like all those years ago?"
He could see the debate playing in Kaveh's head before he sighed. "I… thought this was all too good to be true. When you invited me to live here. But I- I know wouldn't just kick me out without reason."
"So if I had a reason, you assumed I would?"
"Yes?"
They stared at each other until Alhaitham had enough. "It's late. You're tired."
"You are too," Kaveh huffed.
"I wasn't denying it."
They walked to the hallway together, only stopping once they had to part ways. Neither of them dropped their hand.
Alhaitham turned to Kaveh, raising an expectant eyebrow. Kaveh was confused for a moment before his gaze dropped to the floor.
"Can- Can you stay with me tonight?"
Alhaitham nodded with a hum of affirmation. He let Kaveh drag him into his room, where the two of them unceremoniously collapsed onto the bed and instantly fell asleep.
They woke the next morning in a tangle of bodies. Though their hands were no longer linked, they each held the other as if they would get out of bed and leave. Their legs were a mess and Alhaitham couldn't determine where he ended and Kaveh began. Kaveh's face was pressed against his chest, where he was steadily drooling. That and the heat from being so close was beginning to become uncomfortable for Alhaitham and he shook Kaveh awake.
Kaveh groaned softly as he opened his eyes. He looked at Alhaitham before his eyes traveled back down to his chest. Alhaitham let him go and he rolled onto his back, sitting up and stretching his arms over his head. He looked down at Alhaitham, who hadn't moved, then flopped back onto his side.
"Good morning," he said, a slight yawn cutting off the words.
"Morning," Alhaitham responded, his voice raspy since he had just woken.
Kaveh's eyebrows raised for a moment before he tried to slot himself back where he was before in Alhaitham's embrace. Begrudgingly, Alhaitham let him.
"I slept well," Kaveh said into his chest.
Alhaitham hummed. "I know you haven't been sleeping. Tighnari is worried, you know?"
"I know, I know."
Softer, he said, "I'm worried too."
Kaveh went quiet, body rigid in Alhaitham's hold. Alhaitham held his breath. Did he cross the line?
Kaveh eventually settled, shoulders untensing. He pushed himself up and looked down at Alhaitham.
"Haitham."
"Mhm?"
"Can-" Kaveh's eyes traveled again, drifting off the bed and onto the wall. His words caught in his throat for a moment before he took a breath to gather his courage. "Can I kiss you?"
It was something Alhaitham had been waiting years for Kaveh to ask. He had consigned himself to wait until the other was ready. He'd been waiting since they were students and at some point, he had wondered if Kaveh was ever going to be ready.
So the moment the question was out of his mouth, Alhaitham grabbed the back of Kaveh's head and pulled him down into a kiss. It was, admittedly, a bit rushed and they ended up crashing their lips and their foreheads together.
"Ow!" Kaveh pulled back, a hand holding his temple. "What was that for!?"
Alhaitham sat up, eyebrows furrowed. "It's a yes."
This time, when he pulled Kaveh towards him, he went slower. When their mouths met, Kaveh sighed into it. His body sagged and Alhaitham held him up in his arms.
Alhaitham focused on Kaveh's movements, the way his lips danced against his as if trying to devour. He tried to match the pace while avoiding biting Kaveh's lip. That was until Kaveh grew bolder, pulling himself into Alhaitham's lap and deepening the kiss further. He bit Alhaitham's bottom lip lightly, causing him to gasp. Kaveh used the opportunity to push his tongue into Alhaitham's mouth. Alhaitham held Kaveh's waist in his hands, still in disbelief that this was happening.
Finally, Kaveh pulled away so they could catch their breaths. His face was red and his mouth was kiss-swollen, but he looked ecstatic- red eyes glistening and a goofy smile on his lips.
"Wow," he panted. "Who knew that someone like you could get so excited over a little kiss."
"That was hardly little," Alhaitham huffed. "Besides, I've been waiting for you to ask for years. I think I'm allowed to indulge."
It took a few moments for the words to register, mostly likely because he had something else on his mind. "Wait, what!? Years!?"
"Yes?" Alhaitham asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Sometimes I worry you've gone blind."
He left Kaveh to splutter as he stood from the bed. "I'm hungry. I'll make us some food." He raised an eyebrow at Kaveh. "Are you coming?"
Kaveh also stood. "You didn't say anything? For years ? Why didn't you say anything?"
Alhaitham huffed, grabbing Kaveh's hand and leading him into the kitchen. "If I had told you, would you have admitted to sharing my feelings? I was waiting for you to come to terms with it yourself."
"Wait, you knew that I liked you!?"
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I think just about everyone knew. You should certainly ask Tighnari and Cyno the next time we go out for drinks."
At this, Kaveh flushed. "Oh, Archons. Really? Everyone knew?"
Alhaitham shrugged, getting started on breakfast. Kaveh hopped up on a counter to sit and watch. They both fell silent until Kaveh spoke.
"I'm sorry I kept pushing you away."
Alhaitham turned, frowning at how sad Kaveh looked. That wouldn't do. And now he had the perfect thing to make Kaveh feel better.
Kaveh smiled into the kiss, but it wasn't quite there as he looked down at Alhaitham.
"You should apologize to yourself. The person you hurt most in your attempts to not be a burden to others was yourself. I was merely waiting for you to return so I could piece you back together."
Kaveh intertwined their hands, eyes locked onto them. "I'm still sorry."
"It's unnecessary."
Kaveh let him go before he burnt anything.
"Will you stay?"
Alhaitham knew there were many unasked questions hiding behind the surface of that one. There were years of history that neither of them had unpacked, along with the worries and fears of that history.
He stepped in front of Kaveh, holding his head so they both made eye contact. "For as long as you need. Anything you need, I will provide as long as you ask."
"Alright," Kaveh said, laughter bubbling up into his words. "I get it."
Alhaitham doubted that he truly did, but it didn't matter. He would say it over and over again until Kaveh's eyes finally opened and he would see that Alhaitham had always been standing in front of him.